This invention relates to flexible joints for pipes.
A bellows unit is commonly used to provide a flexible joint between two pipes, the bellows unit being capable of expanding and contracting to accommodate longitudinal movements of the ends of the pipes and of containing fluid pressure. To react the tensile force created by fluid pressure in the pipes it is known to provide ties between the pipes such ties being pivotably connected to allow limited misalignment of the longitudinal axes of the pipes. In some applications of flexible pipe joints, for example, coolant conducting pipes for nuclear reactors, pivotted ties are not acceptable because access to the joints for maintenance is difficult and pivotted ties operating at high temperature can be troublesome.